


Holding On and Letting Go

by Swan



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Bittersweet, Canon Compliant, Episode: s08e06 The Iron Throne, F/M, sometimes love isn't enough
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-20
Updated: 2019-05-20
Packaged: 2020-03-08 12:34:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18894736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Swan/pseuds/Swan
Summary: Arya and Gendry have a last conversation.





	Holding On and Letting Go

**Author's Note:**

> I was actually fine with the finale. I get that Arya would not be happy in the society of Westeros and that she is not one to settle down, and I also get that Arya and Gendry have both changed since they've fallen in love and that they want different things in life. But I was disappointed we didn't get to see a resolution between Arya and Gendry. Gendry has been such a dominant element in Arya's arc this season, there should have been a goodbye. Honestly, a few minutes more wouldn't have hurt the episode...

She was waiting for him in his room.

“Arya,” Gendry breathed out surprised. He had seen her, of course, but he hadn’t talked to her since that night back at Winterfell, when she had broken his heart. And he had thought that it would stay that way, that he had driven Arya away with his proposal. Now there she was, in his room.

“Gendry,” she said softly, “or is it Lord Gendry now?”

“I guess then I should call you Princess Arya.”

Arya’s mouth twitched. “Don’t be stupid.”

Gendry looked at her. It was a different kind of pain having her right across him than just thinking of her.

He didn’t know why she was here. But he wouldn’t waste this chance. Before he could lose his courage he began to talk.

“Arya...I’m sorry about the way I...I didn’t mean to ask you to be someone you could not be. But I did mean it when I said it wouldn’t be worth anything without you -”

“I came to say goodbye,” Arya interrupted him.

Gendry flinched.

“I’m going to leave Westeros.”

For a moment Gendry thought nothing at all. Then: “I’m coming with you.”

Arya’s eyes turned soft. “No, you’re not.” She sounded sad. “I can’t - be with you the way you want to. The things I’ve seen, the things I’ve done….they've changed me. I would have...before Robb, before Braavos, I would have wanted to be with you, I probably would even have stomached being a lady. But we’re not these people anymore. If you came with me, we’d eventually end up resenting each other.”

“You don’t know that,” Gendry said, a lump in his throat.

“Yes, I do.” There were tears in her eyes now. “I am not the lost little girl who fell in love with you even if she had no idea what to do with that, and you’re not the bullheaded bastard boy who thought he wasn’t good enough for me.” She brushed a tear away. “This is life, I guess, people change. We’re both more than that now. You’re a good man, and you’ll be a great lord. You’re going to make things better. And I’m going to explore what’s west of Westeros.”

He wanted to argue but the words got stuck in his throat. Though maybe there was nothing he could say to change her mind. Maybe there wasn't anything that could change how things were. He had only been at Storm's End shortly, but the people there had been kind. It would leave a bad taste in his mouth to just leave them. He would do it, for Arya, but maybe that would not be a good thing. Maybe Arya was right and it was too late for them.

“Goodbye, Gendry.”

“Arya, wait -”

She stopped, and slowly turned around, a pained look on her face. Gendry reached for her, cupped her face and kissed her one last time, trying to pour everything he felt for her into that kiss. He needed her to know. Before she left, he needed her to know she was loved. 

“Goodbye, Arya,” he whispered finally. 


End file.
